


Sugar

by missshiroganes



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Cheating, Clones, Dib Being an Asshole (Invader Zim), Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Forced Relationship, Heteronormativity, M/M, Obsessive Behavior, Revenge, Unhealthy Relationships, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 00:35:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21127880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missshiroganes/pseuds/missshiroganes
Summary: Dib gets a girlfriend, but this does not sit well with Zim.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey there gamers, here's some shit that jhonen is allowed to kill me because of. title is from sugar by system of a down ;0

When your main purpose runs out, day to day life is a valued thing. For Zim, an exiled alien from Irk (as of three years ago), seeing the same thing every day didn’t hurt. If anything, it eased the ache of nothingness in the pit of his stomach ever since he was officially disowned by his Tallests. Life on Urth was nothing like his existence on Irk, and nothing truly phased him anymore. At least, not until today.

Years ago he developed a truce with his once sworn enemy, Dib, who constantly fought against his efforts to conquer the planet. Normally they would hang out before school started (it was finally their senior year!), but the human was nowhere to be seen. The only thing he could feel was a strange sense of dread as he walked through the halls, looking for his friend. He can’t fight the smile that worm onto his face when he finally sees him, speeding up a tad to walk next to him, cringing at the sight of someone  _ new  _ next to him. 

“Hello, Dib. Who is that?” Zim asks, not hesitating to make things awkward. He never cared about trivial things like the discomfort of those who weren’t his favorite humans. 

Dib is unbothered, used to Zim’s blunt way of speaking. “Zim, this is my girlfriend, Hal.” 

Said girl waves shyly at Zim, who makes a face of disgust towards her. 

“Girlfriend? As in a dating mate-worm?” Zim asks, anger and frustration unconcealed. 

Dib snorts. “Well, if you put it like that, it just sounds weird.”

“Because it IS!” Zim retorts, fists clenching at his sides. He knows full well that he won’t be able to see Dib as often now, and it stirs something in his gut that he’s unfamiliar with and abhors. Hot, boiling, and seething rage runs up his spine as he storms off to class, something he doesn’t normally do. The rest of his morning is zoning out while teachers in his classes drone on about the same bullshit as always. He dreads lunchtime. It comes too soon. 

Zim grimaces at his tray of shitty cafeteria food, convincing himself to still eat lunch with Dib and Gaz… and now this human freak called "Hal." He sits across from Dib, and next to Gaz (an unusual spot, since they usually sit together). He can't stop the intense glare towards the new girl, stabbing at food he's not going to try and eat. There's a thickness in the air that makes it hard for Zim to breathe, and suddenly, his plastic fork snaps, the pieces falling into the sludge this school called food.

Hal simply smiles awkwardly, fiddling with her choppy, brown hair. "So, uh, Zim, you and Dib are best friends, huh?"

Zim raises an eyebrow at that. "Hah, funny joke," he spits after a beat of silence, grinding his teeth together. "Dib is… Zim's  _ friend _ , yes." 

Gaz makes a strange sound similar to a laugh, eyes focused on her game while she sips on her soda. "Uh-huh, just  _ pals _ ." 

Dib grimaces, utterly confused by all of this. He goes to speak, only to be cut off by Zim almost immediately.

"Does the Hal-germ know about your obsession, Diiiib?" Zim asks, dark grin pulling at his lips. His worm-like tongue snakes out to lick at his sharp teeth. "Your obsession with  _ Zim _ ?" 

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Dib deadpans, virtually unimpressed. 

"I think you know," Zim says, standing up in his seat. "You will never tire of me, Dib! Because you can  _ never  _ have  _ me _ !" 

He leaves his tray at the table, prideful. He ignores Dib's angry calls to come back and explain and Gaz's cackling. No, he had a new plan in store: stop relying on Dib.

\--

Zim's skin crawls when he can sense Dib approaching from his couch, still jumping in surprise when the human loudly knocked on his door. GIR was down in the basement (thank Irk, he didn't want him to witness this massacre) so he hesitantly opens the door. It's Dib -- who else would it ever be?

"What do you want?" Zim asks, refraining from using any of his nicknames. He's not on good terms with him right now, and he can't slip. Not now.

Dib crosses his arms over his chest. "I think you know  _ what _ . What the fuck were you trying to do earlier?"

"Oh, that?" Zim chortles, antennae twitching as he flutters his eyelashes. "Just establishing to that meat-bitch who  _ truly  _ has rights over Dib. You may find any human you want, Membrane, but they will  _ never  _ compare to  _ ZIIIM _ !" 

Dib blinks down at him, eyebrows crinkled and mouth downturned in disgust. "You think I like you like that? You think I'm attracted to  _ you _ ?"

Zim's eyes go wide and he backs away a little. "What?" he asks, taken aback.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull, asshole, but I'm not interested in the game you're playing. I don't like you, I've never liked you, and I won't ever like you. I thought we were friends, but clearly you just want to use me like you use everyone else!" Dib shouts, walking closer and closer until Zim is cornered against a wall, jabbing a finger at his chest. "All you are is a fucking parasite like the rest of your kind."

Zim's spooch squirms in his chest and his heart pounds against his ribs. What was happening? Why was Dib so mad? They always tease each other like he had earlier, what's going on? Even if he truly meant what he said, they usually write it all off as nothing. "Wh… what?" 

Dib makes a gurgling, angry sound that's nearly primal, tugging at his hair. "Why can't I fucking win with you?" 

Zim just laughs in confusion, gloved hands gripping the wall behind him. This was getting scary. "Haha, yes Dib, funny joke. What… is going on right now?" 

Before the alien can speak another word, Dib punches the wall next to him, face red with anger. Their eyes meet, and Zim lets out a shaky breath, lungs burning from holding it in. Sweat rolls down Dib's forehead, and it's silence. The door is still open. The sounds of distant traffic roll in with the breeze.

"You… you're an asshole," Dib mumbles before grabbing him by the shirt and kissing Zim hard. It's reciprocated just as quickly, sharp fingers curling into human hair. Dib's hands are almost bruising on his jaw, but Zim wouldn't complain for a moment, lost in it all. 

Dib breaks away, just as angry before. "Tell anyone about this and I'll kill you."

Zim just nods, dumbfounded, before they kiss again. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zim learns the truth of Dib's sudden reciprocation, and comes to his own realizations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooo we did it boyes. for this, I recommend listening to drag me by tiny little houses

Zim walks into school pridefully, having found himself victorious in winning Dib back. He hopes to not have to face Hal once more, or to see her weird, fleshy hands holding Dib's. No, his own clawed hands belonged there instead. Had he always known his strange attraction to Dib? Yes. He'd finally allowed himself to acknowledge it, though. Trotting towards Dib, Zim sports the most shit eating grin he owns, hands squarely on his hips. 

"Hell _ ooo _ , Dib-stink," Zim greets, only to be faced with a shitty reality that Hal was indeed, still holding onto his human with greasy hands, eyes coated in smudged eyeliner staring him down inquisitively. "Wh… you…?" 

Dib simply looks over at Zim, barely sparing him a passing glance. "What do you  _ want _ , Zim?" 

The same, nagging feeling of jealousy rips at his insides, and he just glares at Dib, aching for some sort of answer. It doesn't come. The two of them keep walking, leaving Zim in the dust, left to think about what the hell he'd gotten himself into.

Zim can't bother to focus on schoolwork, completely zoned out in all of his classes. How had he, a former Irken soldier, gotten wormed into a needy rope of romance? How had he managed to be used by a  _ human  _ of all beings? By Dib of all people? He can't find a solution to any of it. There isn't a solution, other than ditching his emotions that he can't even control.

He doesn't bother to go through the lunch line, instead deciding to sit outside. Maybe the sun would inch its way just close enough to burn this planet and everything on it, including Zim, to a crisp. That fate seems somewhat more satisfying than this shitty life he'd gotten himself into. Maybe he should have just removed his PAK like his Tallests had asked him to. 

Zim groans audibly, rubbing his face. He'd confront Dib in his room tonight. That would show him, right? He'd have no escape then! He grins devilishly, sneaking out through school doors and skipping back home. Oh, when Dib would see him, he'd regret  _ ever  _ fucking him over.

\--

It's dark enough for Zim to walk about without his disguise, making the short trek to Dib's house using his PAK legs, prying his window open. Dib quickly turns from his desktop, swivel chair turning loudly to face the alien breaking into his home. 

"What are you doing in my house?" Dib asks blankly, turning back to his computer to resume typing what he was before. "Hopefully not for a revisit of last night." 

Zim holds back a hiss at that, releasing his PAK legs once he's standing on old carpet. "Oh no, Dib-smelly, that's not what I'm here for," Zim says with pride in his voice, dull sounds of his clunky platforms on the flooring as he waltzes closer to the human. "I'm here to ask you what the fuck you think you're doing," he continues. "You really think you can best Zim? What are you planning?" 

Dib groans, turning around in his chair to face Zim. "Look, I just… did that to shut you up, okay? I'm in a committed relationship, and I just wanted you to stop moping around for once. I- I'm  _ straight _ , man." 

Zim's face twists into one of confusion and frustration. "But I thought you had that crooked spine problem?" 

"Not that literally, asshat," Dib says, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It means I don't like men. I just like women." 

"Then why did you kiss me? Why did you play with Zim's feelings like that?" Zim growls, voice raising an octave. His eyes burn, antennae flattening against his head. "Why did you let me think I have a fighting chance?"

Dib winces at Zim's reaction, crossing his arms. "I just… I don't know! I just wanted to see if I felt something."

Zim wrings at his hands, forcing himself to keep eye contact. "Did you? Did you feel something?" 

Dib opens his mouth, but Zim already knows the answer. He decides not to speak, instead turning around to face the computer again. "I think you should leave." 

Zim doesn't hesitate to take upon that request, scrambling out the door, vision blurred by tears as he haphazardly makes his way back home, not caring what his PAK legs puncture on the way. He bursts through the front door of his home, slamming it behind him. He slinks down onto the floor, wracking out a whimper. GIR is quick to be at his side, thankfully remaining silent, slinking into his master's lap.

It seems that he lost again.

\--

Zim doesn't go to school, opting out of making himself more miserable seeing Dib with someone else. He instead decides to do his mourning in the comfort of his own home, curled up on the couch, mindlessly watching TV shows with GIR. He can feel the bags under his eyes, the beeping of his PAK warning him to take care of himself before he had a forced shut down. It would be temporary, but not long enough. He decides to prevent it by taking his daily supplements and bathing in cleansing gel, glad Computer didn't chastise him for his behavior.

He finds himself clinging to a shirt Dib had left at his house weeks ago, inhaling the scent it still bore -- it'd gone untouched since it was left there. Zim lays there, pathetically on the floor with a stupid Bigfoot shirt draped over him when the idea comes to him. If he couldn't have Dib, then he could make his own Dib! Sure, his attempts to make Professor Membrane failed, but it was only due to not knowing him fully. But Dib, he knew Dib! He knew him inside out! He shrugs on the shirt over his clothes, standing suddenly, ignoring the painful rush to his head as he does.

Quickly searching through his files, he found one of his many DNA samples Dib had given him to help him understand humans better, beaming excitedly. Oh this, this was perfect! It would take a few days, but nothing would compare to finally being able to have his human back.

_ Nothing. _


End file.
